West Deptford man indicted in 2002 murder

WOODBURY -- A West Deptford man has been indicted on charges he sexually assaulted and murdered Jennifer Whipkey more than seven years ago.

Brian M. Mertz, 31, of the 1400 block of Forest Creek Lane, was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder, first-degree aggravated sexual assault, first-degree aggravated sexual assault using a weapon, first-degree aggravated sexual assault by use of force or coercion and first-degree aggravated sexual assault while knowing the victim was helpless or incapacitated in the May 2002 death of the 22-year-old West Deptford woman.

Mertz was arrested by West Deptford Police and investigator's of the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office on Dec. 21, 2008.

A lengthy investigation found that Jennifer Whipkey was a patron of the Adelphia night club in Deptford Township on May 24, 2002 and at some point encountered Mertz after the night club closed.

Evidence allegedly showed Mertz subsequently sexually assaulted her, murdered her and left her body in a wooded area near the Westwood Motor Lodge on Crown Point Road in West Deptford, where Mertz was living at the time.

The victim, who was the mother of a four-year-old daughter, was found near the motel May 26, 2002 by a man on a newspaper delivery route. She had been stabbed numerous times in the throat, head, chest, abdomen and legs.